The New Bohemian Innovation Collaborative (known as NewBoCo) is a Cedar Rapids–based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs entrepreneurship, tech education, and accelerator programs to accelerate startups and build technical talent across Iowa[2][1].
High-level overview
- Mission: NewBoCo’s mission is to “accelerate world‑changing ideas” by supporting entrepreneurship, innovation, and tech education so Iowans can become more resilient in a changing economy[2][1].
- Investment / program philosophy: Rather than acting as a venture investor, NewBoCo operates accelerator and support programs (notably the Iowa Startup Accelerator) that focus on coaching, go‑to‑market readiness, and connecting founders with capital and corporate partners[2][5].
- Key sectors: Programming is broad but emphasizes tech, software/product startups, and workforce/education initiatives that develop technical and creative talent across the state[2][1].
- Impact on the startup ecosystem: NewBoCo created Iowa’s first accelerator (the Iowa Startup Accelerator), has helped hundreds of startups and thousands of learners through education programs, and produces signature events like EntreFEST to strengthen the regional entrepreneurship ecosystem[2][1].
Origin story
- Founding year and genesis: NewBoCo began in Fall 2014 when Eric Engelmann launched the Iowa Startup Accelerator to address gaps in Eastern Iowa’s entrepreneurial support; that accelerator evolved into NewBoCo as the organization expanded into education, talent development, and corporate innovation programs[2].
- Key people and early evolution: Founder Eric Engelmann and early partners built programming including Kiva Iowa, Vault coworking, NewBoCo Studios, and EntreFEST as the organization shifted from a single accelerator into a broader nonprofit innovation collaborative rooted in Cedar Rapids’ New Bohemia neighborhood[2][4].
Core differentiators
- Place‑based, mission‑driven model: NewBoCo is a nonprofit embedded in the New Bohemia neighborhood that explicitly ties community resilience and regional rebuilding (post‑2008 flood) to its innovation mission[2].
- Comprehensive programming stack: Combines accelerator programming (Iowa Startup Accelerator), tech & creative education for youth and adults, coworking/studio spaces, and corporate innovation services to serve startups and talent simultaneously[2][1].
- Regional network and events: Hosts EntreFEST (a major Midwest entrepreneurial conference) and partnerships across Iowa that give founders access to mentors, corporate partners, and local investors[2].
- Track record in early‑stage support: Credited with helping hundreds of startups and thousands of students learn to code or build skills since its founding[1][2].
Role in the broader tech landscape
- Trend alignment: NewBoCo rides the decentralization/regionalization trend in tech, where place‑based accelerators and education programs aim to keep startup talent and companies outside coastal hubs[2].
- Why timing matters: Iowa’s need to diversify and retain technical talent and to scale locally founded startups creates demand for NewBoCo’s combination of education, accelerator, and corporate engagement programs[2][1].
- Market forces helping them: Growing corporate interest in regional innovation, demand for tech workforce development, and philanthropic/support funding for community economic resilience strengthen NewBoCo’s model[2][4].
- Influence: By supplying technical talent pipelines, convening events, and accelerator programming, NewBoCo helps reduce regional friction for founders and attracts attention/investment to Iowa’s startup scene[2][1].
Quick take & future outlook
- Near-term priorities: NewBoCo is relaunching its Iowa Startup Accelerator with a sharpened focus on branding, marketing, and sales readiness for startups that have demonstrated product‑market fit, signaling a move from early discovery toward scale readiness[5].
- Trends that will shape them: Continued demand for regional tech talent training, hybrid accelerator models, stronger corporate‑startup partnerships, and outcome‑oriented workforce programs will define NewBoCo’s growth opportunities[2][1].
- Potential influence: If NewBoCo continues to scale cohort programming, expand corporate partnerships, and place more alumni startups into sustainable growth, it can further cement Iowa as a viable place to build and scale tech ventures and retain talent regionally[2][5].
If you’d like, I can:
- Produce a one‑page investor/partner briefing for NewBoCo with metrics (program participants, alumni exits, funding raised) — I’ll pull publicly available numbers.
- Map NewBoCo’s accelerator alumni and notable outcomes (if you want evidence of portfolio impact).
